smaller states, the agrarian states. if you do away with the electoral college, you change that balance. host: for our viewers that want to do more on how to make this country less partisan, go to thepresidency.org. thank markxt week, facebook ceo zuckerberg will testify before senate and house committees on facebook's handling of that information and data privacy. tuesday, at 2:15 p.m. in a joint hearing. and on wednesday at 10 :00 on c-span3, before the house energy and, committee. watch live coverage on c-span3 and c-span.org and listen live with the free c-span radio app. earlier today outside the

white house, president trump's top economic adviser larry kudlow spoke to reporters about the latest reposed tariffs -- proposed tariffs against china. hello, how are you today? >> good morning. >> when did the president first us tell you he was adopting this? >> last season. >> what is the strategy? >> look, [indiscernible] talk with the trade ambassador. they have done a long report looking at the whole thing. he should earn his pay.

technology is at the root of this. that does not exclude our manufacturers or even our farmers who may get hurt. we cannot allow china, which is , torst world country now steal our technology. when they steal our technology, they are stealing the guts of the american future. our innovation. our entrepreneurship. it is all based on technology. president trump said enough is enough. we are not running a trade war. if you read this thing, you will say. this is a proposed idea that will be vetted and then open for public opinion. you have got -- how to explain? you have a multipronged process. we have not done this for a long time.

we are not accustomed to it. negotiations enter the picture and the wto enters the picture. we have to walk through the process and we will see that this will hopefully have a very happy ending. i am still optimistic that the chinese recognizes that the rest of the world is on our side and that they recognize the importance of this technology business and lower the tariffs. potus has good relations with the chinese president. ongoing talks may help. we are serious. i just want to underscore this. we are serious. talked tosident trump the chinese president about that this week? >> i do not know. you're going to have japan and canada and australia

-- these are countries that -- that are basically free market countries that play by the rules and are members of the wto. they already indicated strong support for the american position. i am amused when people ask -- why is president trump starting a trade for? -- a trade war? how about this? why has china gone two decades without making the changes that the entire world and that the governing association knows they have been breaking? blame china. not the administration. not japan or europe. blame china. they have to their best foot forward and act like a world power. so far, they are just blowing smoke at everybody. >> [indiscernible] >> i do not want to go there because i am your favorite

growth guy, the happy warrior. they still call me that in the newsroom of a certain important network. i don't want to go there. you know what? our economy is in fine shape. but are a little sloppy they were huge last month. we are running close to a couple hundred thousand jobs on a quarterly basis. inflation is low. unemployment is low. if you look at investment numbers, capex, are doing very well. i want to talk progress on a very important issue. >> [indiscernible] >> stocks were pretty calm today. i thought they would be less calm. do you think that if we had

erased this growth, the president would not be in a position to take such a tough stance on china? >> he intended to do this all along. , he intended to take a tough stance. that was a campaign push to help america grow. he is right. that is my point. i will say it again. blame china, not trump. >> guys, he has a meeting he has to get to. >> the last time this happened, there were countermeasures proposed by china that would impact american farmers. >> nothing implemented. stay with us. stay with us. this is a growth oriented administration. iat may be one of the reasons am here. i am a growth guy. if you lower tariffs and

clearly follow the laws when it comes to technology stealing, this will be good for everybody. but for the manufacturers. the tech business. our farmers. look -- here is a simple way to look at it. we are asking china to open markets. we are asking china to lower barriers which have prevented american companies from doing more in china and exporting more to china. so, right there, if we can get those issues resolved positively, there is no damage to the american economy. it is all plus. plus. plus. i don't want to make this any harder than it is. this is being done in the name of growing the american economy at a much faster rate than the previous decade. it is part of the whole progress -- process of lower taxation. this, if china

comes on board and joins the rest of the world, if they do that, everyone will benefit. everybody in american business will benefit. that is the point i am trying to make. it is when. it is with -- it is win. i have to get out of the cold. thank you very much. >> [indiscernible] >> we will let you know at the appropriate moment. >> you have any signs that china may be [indiscernible]. >> the president said -- [indiscernible]. >> ok, guys. >> i am not going to comment. you bet. take care. c-span's live now at georgetown university where u.s. supreme court justice ruth later

-- it bader ginsburg is getting ready to speak to students as part of her lecture series at the university's law center.